Pauses and Silence


Cranes in Flight Over Water
by Angela Marie Morton
(click to purchase)

While looking through my files for inspiration for this month’s blog post, I came across a short video I took as an experiment, when I was considering posting in-process clips of my art on social media. In the clip, I was working on a watercolor and brush pen drawing of several cranes in flight over water. What struck me as I watched it, were the pauses in between the brush pen strokes. It reminded me of what several famous composers and musicians have said about the space, or silence, between notes in a piece of music - that it is the critical element. In a world in which pauses and silence are generally viewed negatively, and to be avoided, I find it interesting that those moments are vital in providing shape and depth to various forms of artistic expression.

In today’s culture, at least in the United States where I live, pauses are typically met with impatience, and silence with discomfort. Personally, I am comfortable with silence, and “awkward” pauses do not bother me. Years ago, I attended a local Zen center twice a week for formal zazen (sitting meditation) and dharma talks. I had been going for several months when the opportunity to participate in a day-long silent retreat arose, and I signed up for it. An entire day being around people, yet not needing to talk or engage sounded ideal to me. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I cannot help but think that, If there were more pauses, and more silence, our world would be improved. So many mistakes could be avoided, if people simply took a beat to think, rather than acting in haste. The over-stimulation we all constantly feel, even on a subliminal level, could be lessened, if silence was not something to be feared, but embraced, allowing space for our heads to clear.

Everyone has their preferences, but I would encourage inviting both pauses and silence into your daily life, and see what happens. You may discover you develop an awareness of your environment, and become a bit more thoughtful in your actions. Pauses and silence need not be scary. They can be places for clarity to be found, and for creativity to thrive. 


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